• During the war the Queen fled to Ottawa in Canada with her mother and two sisters.

The Dutch royal family after Queen Beatrix (third from right) opened Parliament Credit: REUTERS

• The Queen has weekly meetings with the Prime Minister and speaks regularly with ministers and state secretaries.

• Similar to the British Monarch, the Queen signs all new Acts of Parliament and Royal Decrees and plays a role in the formation of new governments, she also officially opens the parliamentary year with a speech.